Rejection is the most painful and hard to digest whether it is professional or personal, though it is very much part and parcel of the life. The truth is nobody would ever succeed in all 100 percent interviews and at the same time no person would be rejected in all 100 percent interviews. Therefore, when you get a negative feedback from the prospective employer, there is no need to worry much. For any of the pain in the life is based on your expectation. If your expectations are very much high, then surely you get a disappointment. Therefore, keep your expectations at a zero level probably a nil level and attend the interview. If you get the job, then that is fantastic and congratulations to you. Even if you are rejected also, there is no much point to feel dejected. Rejection does not mean that you are totally unqualified person for that position. Sometimes, you would also surprised to see that much less qualified person than you is selected for that position. Whatever be the case, you should take every interview as a game and understand that you have 50 percent possibility for win and at the same time you also have the remaining 50 percent to loose it. However, we should get some good experience or lessons out of each such rejected interview. You should note whenever you are rejected in an interview, there could be different reasons, economic situation of the company, your skill fit for the position, soft skills, attitude, cultural fit, salary negotiations, work permit status and references you have given.
The pain of the rejection depends on the expectation you have kept on that, whether it is personal or professional. If your expectation is really high, then probably, you will end up dejected for few months to years, if it is personal life then probably, it could be years to forget that. But, one thing you must understand the time is greatest healer of any of such dejection and it would make you normal whatever wound you get in your life. At one point in your life, you would surely feel that you have unnecessarily felt dejected for the wrong reasons. Therefore, the foremost thing is when you are rejected, do not get any dejection, and just tell to your heart that the prospective employer is on the loosing side for not selecting you. You need to tell yourself that the employer does not have real luck to be worked with you. If you are selected in the job, then say thanks to your employer. If you are not selected in the job, then in such case also, say double thanks to them and wish them all the best. Unfortunately, some of the employers who conduct the interviews have no guts at all to convey the candidates about the reason for their rejection. They would simply forget once the interview is completed and would only convey to the candidates if they are selected. They would simply forget to convey the result to the rejected candidates. You can easily understand how pathetic HR policies those companies are having. Unfortunately, the rejected candidates really does not know the result of their interview and keep following up the interviewers or companies for months together. At times, those companies try to say lies or deceive the candidates with the false statements. Some companies would surely ignore the mails / phone calls of the candidates who have attended the interviews. Do not think that this kind of things would only happen in unprofessionally managed companies. They would very well happen even in the top world class companies and even in the Top 4 Consulting companies are not an exception. Therefore, well prepared for all these type of surprises.
Unfortunately, you will find many people in your life who try to imitate a lot. Never do such imitation. Be natural and be yourself. Many people try to imitate the English language as if they are born and brought up in English Speaking countries. Sometimes, when you hear the voice mail of their mobile phones, you would feel that why they are imitating too much as if they are born with that accent. That gives an immediate laugh on your face and uncontrollable irritation. They would only try to imitate somebody else and intended to show that artificial accent to the employers and others. Please note that they would come to their natural after 15 minutes of talking. When you are imitating somebody else accent, you cannot do it effectively for more than few minutes, unless you are a world class imitator. Therefore, just concentrate on your English, but do not need to imitate somebody else accent. When you are showing your natural language that is where you can be more expressive. That gives you ability and power to articulate yourself and explain the prospective employer in a clear cut manner. I would like to remember the quotes of Walt Disney in this regard "The more you like yourself, the less you are like anyone else, which makes you unique".
If you are being informed that your candidature is rejected for the position that you have attended or applied, the first thing is take deep breath and thank god. Definitely, it gives a kind of pain or dejection. It is not always possible to have a cheer face when you are being informed that you are rejected. It only comes with maturity, age and attitude to digest such rejections. Not all the human beings are able to digest and enjoy the rejection. Rejection in the job interviews should be taken with the wider angle vision, that if you succeeded in the interview, you gain salary and income, if you are rejected, and you get a better experience to clear the next interview in a better way. Therefore, you should see the success and rejections are the both sides of the same coin. At one point you would dream some companies to be part of, however, after few years of time, you would not even ready to spell that company's name. Today’s dream companies can become tomorrow disaster companies. Do not expect too much from any company. At the end of the day, most of the companies are just doing it for business that is for sure. Companies like Microsoft is making redundant of thousands of committed workforce, then what else you can expect from the normal companies. Therefore, just realize the realities of the companies and get ready for any eventuality even if you are select. When you are selected in a company, at the same time, you should also write a resignation letter keep it in your pocket. You should never be afraid to put your resignation any time on the table, if your self respect is challenged. If tomorrow that company makes you redundant, you should be bold enough to place the resignation letter with smile. You are not a relative or blood relative to that company to keep you for life. The day when they realize that there is no use of you to the company, they could easily swap the cards and send you home. Therefore, be prepared for every eventuality.
If you are unbelievably loyal to the companies surely they may try to exploit your commitment and try to use you to the maximum extent. At the same time, they would very much reluctant to give you what you are really deserved for. There could be other factors that could motivate you, but at any point of time in normal working conditions and money are the most motivating factors. If you do not get what you deserved for, then easily, you would look other options outside the company. Therefore, do not think that getting a job is the ultimate aim of the life. Try to polish your entrepreneurial skills and try to showcase your ability to the world. It does not matter, the venture you have started could be the small, where it gives you wonderful self-respect for working yourself rather than for others. Unfortunately, not all the people are fortunate enough to become entrepreneurs and start their own ventures. Even if you started your own consulting venture, still you need to go through the interview process, therefore, the following points could be handy when you are being rejected in the interviews.
1. Be Normal
Even if the employer has rejected you outright you should just be normal. You need to understand you cannot satisfy everybody in this world, whosoever you are. You need to tell yourself that it is the unfortunate to the employer and they really missed the deserving candidate. At the same time you should not over hype your abilities too much. You should absolute be normal at the same time you should introspect the reasons why the interview has gone into rejection mode. Presume that you are not rejected in any interview in your life, then you would really loose an option to introspect yourself. Therefore rejection is not always mean that you are an unskilled person, but, it would be an opportunity to look back at yourself.
2. Keep expectations minimum
Even if you are going to attend the interview in the world’s best company, your expectations should be minimum. The more expectation means the more disappointment. Failing in the interview is not the end of the world. Many of the highly successful people are rejected in their lives at some of point of time. Therefore, not too much worry and just imagine how would be it like, in case if you are being rejected. I am not saying that you should go with negative mind sent, but, you should see the both sides of the coin and keep yourself to accept both sides of the coin are the same.
3. Lessons learned
Every interview is different in its own spirit. None of the two interviews can be compared. Do not even worry even if you flunk 1000 interviews. But, learn something good out of each interview. Some of the interviews are tough, technically challenging, testing various abilities or even might be rude sometimes. Do not need to worry how badly the interview has gone. Keep a note book for life time and write experience of your every interview. You should make points what has gone really good, what gone really wrong and what should have done to make the interview better. If you write like this one page for one interview, then after 10 years of time, you would see yourself how you have considerably improved in your interview process.
4. Believe yourself
Belief is not the skill, it is an inherent ability to trust your capabilities from the inner most nerves of your body. You should always continuously tell your mind, body, soul and heart that you are the best of the best and probably the world’s best. You do not need to much bother whatever be the competition in the interview, as long as you have the belief in your capabilities. Every candidate attending the interview is different and probably you have your selling points. Never ever compare yourself to anybody, not just for interview, even in your whole life. Contentment is very much important in life, otherwise, you would be an unsatisfied man in your whole life.
5. Improve skill set
Improving skills is not overnight job. It is take years and may be sometimes decades to master in a particular skill. If you are in technology field then it would much more challenging as the new technologies are coming up like mushrooms and you are forced to learn them at the same speed. Whatever skill you are having, you would be lacking something, by the time, you learn that new skill, and then something else would pop-up in market. Therefore, learn something new every day and make it a point continuous learning is an important point of your life, whether it is through training, on job or advice from the friends, does not really matter, as long as you learning something new on a daily basis.
6. Master the ability to crack
Many people give lot of importance in the mastery of cracking the interviews. It does not mean they are masters as well in their jobs also. There could be cases where they good extremely well in the interviews, but utterly fail on the job. To master the ability to crack the interview, you should concentrate on communication, presentation, articulation, dress-sense, openness, right attitude and your key selling points. This is not the comprehensive list, but could be extremely handy when you are attending the interviews. Once you are passed through the interview stage, then you might have sufficient time to learn many things and get training on the job.
7. Make effective CV
Your CV should prepare a strong and commanding CV. Employers would only look at your CV for not more than 6 second. Within those six seconds, your CV should attract them. Therefore, if you are not getting many calls, then you need to strongly look into your CV and make necessary changes. Having said that do not exaggerate the skills you do not have. Your CV is a caricature of your skills, experience and education, therefore, they should be reflect the true position of your abilities. Even if it takes a month or so, do not mind, but try to prepare the CV the most attractive and effective.
8.Salary negotiations
Nobody is ready to pay the premium price for the cheap product. Later if they realize, they would take no time to dump that product. The same rule and logic applies in the salary negotiation. Therefore, do not do too much of negotiation, so as it really goes beyond to the extent, where you do not really deserve for. The employers may also conclude that you are only interested for salary but nothing else. Know your limitations and worth, then accordingly within that realistic range you can negotiate if you really feel that they have not given the right salary for your skills and abilities. Therefore, salary negotiation is a very tactual game, you should handle with much more care and attention in detail.
9. No blame game
If some of the employer has rejected your candidature, then do not try to blame that company or organisation. The reason being you are not in their position, therefore, you really do not know what their situation is. You do not know the reasons in which they are forced to reject your application. There could be various reason that might have forced them to reject your application. If you are not rejected, then probably you would never learn anything in life. You need to just appreciate their decision and just move on in search of better opportunity. Unfortunately, you would find some employers who has not guts to inform the candidates on what reason they have rejected. In such cases, you need to ignore such kind of employers.
10. Realize every company is same
At the end of the day every company is doing business and their ultimate motive is for profit, unless it is a charitable organisation. Therefore, you are not a relative to them or they are not relative to you. They believe you have a right skill and you believe they have the better ability to pay you. On a day when you both do not agree on this point, then they would take no time to dump you and at the same time you would also eager looking jump into another company. Loyalty is important but you should not become too much loyal to the company, which could turn into a burden to the company. Therefore, you should always willing to open your eyes and see the opportunities around you and the world.
